Golf tee positioning device



March 21, 1933. E. 1.. WALRATH GOLF TEE POSITIONING DEVICE Filed May 18, 1951 INVENTOR Z772 evil. Wc'zZraZ/o ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES .ERNEsT L. WALRATHQ or BEND, OREGON some rnerosrrroivrne DEVICE Application filed May 18,

i This invention relates to a golf tee positioning device and has for the primary ob-' ject the provision of a device of the above 4 stated character especially adaptable for holding a golf tee and inserting thesame into the ground to a predetermined depth and automatically releasing the tee when positioned, that a ball maybe placed thereon and driven in the usual way and which will support the ball at approximately the same height from the ground each time used, thereby assuring a more accurate drive by the player than obtainablefrom a tee inserted in the ground by hand and where no actual gage may be had for the-head of; thetee relative to the ground each time the tee is positioned in the round.

Another object of this invention is the provision of means for releasinglthe tee holding 7 means after the tee has been used and replaced in said holding means whereby the tee may be safely kept and ready for use whenthe next drive is to be made by the player. H

Another object of this invention is the provision of a device of the above stated char acter which may be in the form of an attachment to be applied to the end of a golf club .or tobe applied to any suitable handle and carried by the player in the golf: bag with other clubs. v p A further object of this invention is the provision of a golf tee positioning, device which will be simple, durable and eficient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter more fully described and claimed. a For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the followingdescriptionand accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View illustrating a golf tee positioning device constructed inaccordance with my invention. 7 Figure 2 is a similarview showing thede- 1931. 'seriai'iwo'. 538,315. V

vice in the act of positioning thetee in the ground and automatically releasing the. tee. Figure 3 1s a vlewlsimilarto Figure 1 showing inelevat on the sleeve for opening the tee holding dogswheni the -tee has been insertedin theground as shown in Figure, 2.

Figure 4: is a sectional view similar to Figure 3qex'cept thatthe device-is ina position for inserting the team the ground and prior to removing thesame from the tee. Figure 5 is a detail view illustrating a manually controlled release'for the tee gripping. ogs to, be actuated after a tee hasbeen used and replaced in the device. 7 p

Figure v 6 is a perspective view illustrating 5' a locking means for the dogs, and

Figure 7 is a P p ive view illustrating One of the dog V c 1 R rr g n d a lth draw gfth hi1} meral l-indicates acylinderor casingwhich 7o zhas'oneendclosed by an integral wall 2 provided with a centrally arranged opening 3 surrounded by a sleeved forming an integral part of the bottom-2 and providing a pas- Vsagewayjfor a-tee 5 ofthe usua'l .construction. The other end} of ,thecasing or cylinder 1 haslocated thereinca head 6 and is limited from movingoutwardly of the casing .1 the inturned edges 7. The head 6 ,is slidable in the casing l and is provided withan annular wall 8 carrying a flange 9 forming a seat for one end of acoiled spring .10 which also rests onfthe bottom wall 2.

The action of the spring 10 is normally to urge the head toward the flange 7 r y A dog supporting sleeve 11 has oneend closed and apertured to receive a fastener 12 which also extends through thehead 6 for attachment with the handle 13. The handle l3 may be of any desired construction and if desired the device may beattaohed to the end of anprdinary golf club by the fastener 12. i The sleeve 11 carried by "the head fi isslidably received within the sleeve land receives therein theheadof the tee 5. A plate 143is located in the sleeve 11 to provide a stop forlimitingthe movement of the tee into the sleeve "11; Substantial L-shaped dogs} 15 are pivotedin the sleeve 11 as shown at 16 and the dogs operate 1 00 through slots 17 formed in the sleeve and engage about the head of the tee as clearly shown in Figure 1 under the influence of a coil-ed spring 18 to retain the tee in the sleeve 11 and against the plate 14.

The sleeve 4 is provided with oppositely disposed slots 19 that aline with the slots 17 and have portions thereof enlarged to form shoulders 20 adapted to engage shoulders 21 a formed on the dogs 15 for the purpose of -to engage the dogs or the shoulders 21" thereof for locking said dogs in a spread position as shown in Figure 2 and against the action of the spring 18. e

The "latch arms 23 are connected at their free ends by a substantially U-shaped member 26 provided with an apertured ear 27 to which a finger piece 28 is connected and whichextends through an'opening 29 in the head 6 and also through a slot 30 in the casing or cylinder 1-. A leaf spring 31 is con nected to the head 6 at one endand the'opposite end connected to the U-shaped member 26 for "normally positioning the latch arms 23 that their shoulders 25 will engage the" dogs when the latter are spread during the use of l the device and retain said dogs in the stated position that the device may be removed from the tee after theinsertion of the tee in the ground. After the player has finished using the tee, the vsame is manually withdrawn from'the ground and inserted intov the device and the fingerpieoe 28 pressed which releases the dogs permitting them to again grip the tee and retain the latter in the device ready for further use, when desired.

In operation, the player positions the device against the ground as shown in Figure 1 and by exerting pressure in a downward direction on the handle, the tee 5 will be inserted in the ground to a predetermined depth and simultaneously the dogs will be spread or moved apart and automatically latched in this position, freeing the tee an'd the player then lifts the device from the tee.

The player places the ball on the tee in the usual way and after thedrive has beenmade, the tee is extracted from the ground and again placed in the device and the player presses upon the finger piece 28 which releasesthe do s that they again grip the head of the tee under the influence of the spring 18. VThe'refore it will be seen that a device has been provided whereby a tee may be easily and quickly inserted in the ground to a predetermineddepth that the ball'supported by r the tee will in every instance be approximately the same distance from the ground, and further it is .to be noted that the device will maintain the tee ready for use at all times and protected against injury or loss.

While I have shown and described the pre- 1. A golf tee positioning device comprisv ing a handle, a head secured to the handle,

a casing slidable on the head and having an opening, tension means between the head and easing, a sleeve secured to the head in alinement with saidopening to receive a tee, gripping means in said sleeve to engage the tee and retain the latter within the sleeve, means carried by the casing to disengage the gripping means from'the teewhen the latter has been inserted in the ground by pressure placed onthe handle and with the casing in engagement with the ground, and means carried by the sleeve for releasing the gripping means from the last named position after the tee has been again inserted in the sleeve.

2. A golf tee positioning device comprising a handle, a head secured to the handle, a casing slidable on the head and having an opening, tension means between the head and casmg, a sleeve secured to the head and rece vmg a tee, spring pressed plvoted dogs 1n the sleeve for engaging the tee to retain the latter in the sleeve, and means carried by the casing to disengage the dogs from the tee when pres sure has'been placed on the handle with the casing in engagement with the ground for pc- "sitioning the tee in the ground at a predeing slidable on the head and having an opening, a sleeve carried by the head and in alinement with the opening to receive a tee, pivoted dogs in the sleeve, tension means engaging said dogs to normally urge the latter in engagement with the tee, a member carried by the casing to disengage the dogs from the tee when pressure is placed on the handle with the casing in engagement with the ground for positioning the tee in the ground to a predetermined depth, locking means carried by said member and holding the dogs in tee releasing position, and means connected to said lockmg means to disengage the latter from the dogs when a tee'has been again inserted in "the sleeve.

4. A golf tee positioning device comprising a handle, a head secured to the handle, a casing slidable on the head and havin an opening, tension means between the hea and having an opening, tension means between the 7 head and casing, a sleeve secured to the head 7 and in alinement with said opening to receive a golf tee, dogs pivoted in said sleeveto engage the tee, tenslon means normally urging the dogs in engagement with the tee, a member carried by the casing to disengage the 1 dogs from the tee when pressure has been placed on the handle and with the casing in engagement with the ground for, insertin the tee in the ground to a predetermine depth, latch arms pivoted to said sleeve, tension means bearing against said latch arms for urging the latter in engagement with the dogs when in tee releasing position, and a finger piece connected to said latch arms to disengage the latter from the dogswhen a tee has been again inserted in the sleeve.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature,

ERNEST L. WALRATH. 

